BAGSHOT library could face the axe under a Surrey County Council cost cutting scheme.

The Earl of Wessex opened the revamped library just two years ago after a refit.

County councillor Alan Peirce made a donation of £1,500 towards the costs and the Friends of Bagshot Library came up with another £500.

The library is also running extended opening hours until March to compensate residents for the loss of Camberley library while it is refurbished.

But if the county council’s cost-cutting package is agreed in April, Bagshot library and five others across the county will be shut.

The largest ever review of county council services is underway as the authority tries to bridge a massive funding gap. A total of 784 staff will be laid off and net savings of £22.7million need to be made next year. Further net savings of around £116m need to be made in the following four years.

The relatively low government grant has been blamed for the need to radically cut costs.

The county council hopes that investment in Camberley library will compensate Bagshot residents for the lost service.

Cllr Duncan Clark of Surrey Heath Borough Council said that a previous attempt to close the library in 1999 had been met by a concerted campaign to save it and councillors would be holding an emergency meeting to decide on a plan of action.

Cllr Clark said: “I think everyone will be against it and will be mounting a full-scale campaign to save it.”

The county council is considering using mobile libraries or small facilities in post offices and schools to replace the lost facilities.

One reason given for the decision was that county council figures show library usage across Surrey has declined by 18% in recent years.

But Cllr Clark said: “It’s much better used than other libraries, especially since it has been improved.”

The county council indicated that other libraries may benefit once smaller ones such as Bagshot are closed and investment redirected.